Charles



l `freight cars.

@wat @More vCHARLES e. GALE, or4 lnnmnaro'ms, INDIANA.

' 13mm Patent N0.1o4,4`41, maa .me 21, 1ero.

IMPRovEMENT In smenns roR'PADLocKs.

The Schedule referredto in` these Letters Patent and making partof the same.

1, CHARLES GALE, of Indiapapolis,in the county of Marion and State of Indiana, have invented certain Improvements in Shields for Padlocks, ofv which the following is a specitcation.

" This' invention relates to a 'shieldor shell made of cast metal, glass, or other suitableiniieXible but frangible material, for self-fastening locks, adapted to `in,- `fclose the entire lockecase, and` so constructed that the y staple, or other object through which the shackle passes, will prevent the movement or removal of the shield intact while the lock remains secured, the` purpose l being' to ascertain whether the lockhas been tampered with by unauthorized persons, `which will' be evidenty `if the shield is broken. lf `hole wholly inaccessible until the shell is broken,

. which is easily `done by the propel' officer.

` f erable to make the shield of cast metal or glass, iso `that, in removing the same, a noise ivillbe caused,

The shield renders` the key- It is pretil "wherebythe detection of the intruder is or 'maybe facilitated. The invention, `althoughcapable of'general application, is `especially intended ior `the locks of In the drawing y Figure l is a side view. f A is a padlock, of the usuall size o1' pattern, used for locking railway cars, or'othei kindred purposes.v

` B is a shield, made `of glass, metal, or suitable inaterial, open at the bottom, and having an opening` at y the topsuiciently large to `permit the staple of the dockto protrude.

The top cornerslare curved inward, so as to form a ishoulderrestng uponfthe upper side of the lock, and cannotpass downoverit.

The form or` design of the shield may be varied to suit the taste or circumstances, the main object being co-provide a shield to cover the key-holes of padlocks, to render them inaccessible except as herein provided.

This shield envelops the lock, eiectuall'y covering the key-hole, and when the lock is secured to the sta- `ple in the cars, the shield cannot be removed for uulocking without rst breaking and destroying the same.

'1f the shield should be found broken or missing, except it be done by the proper. person, it will readily indicate that the lock has been tampered with.

By this means, anyimproper meddling with the locks ot` cars may be readily traced and the perpetrator discovered.

I prefer to use shields made of thin cast-iron, as the destruction of the same cannot he accomplished without causing more or less noise, whereby the detection ot' any one tampering with the lock is materially assisted.

. Whenv the proper person desires to unlock the cars, a lightweight is held undel' or behind the shield, which is then struck a light blow on the opposite side, aud the shield is fractured and falls iu pieces.

Iclai1n Y A shield, B, made substantially as described, en tirely covering the lock-case, and secured by the staple through which the shackle passes, whereby the keyhole, when the lock is secured, is rendered wholly in accessible until the shield is broken and destroyed, as

herein set forth.

V C. C. GALE;v

` Witnesses: y

GEO. W. TIBBITTs, GEO. BESTER. 

